Michel Finishes with Story to Tell
June 11, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Andrew Michel received the heart-breaking news only moments before leaving his golf team’s Regional on Friday to get ready for that night’s Brownstown-Woodhaven prom.
But missing making the MHSAA Finals by a stroke was not the first thing he shared with those who asked about his day at West Shore Golf and Country Club in Grosse Ile.
Instead, the graduating senior told of the 132-yard shot he dropped for a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th hole, his second ace but first in competition.
Michel finished with a season-best 76, missing the cut for this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final by a stroke despite firing another eagle during the final holes of his round.
“At the start of the day, I told myself don’t leave anything on the table. Go for it on every hole, make every shot and just have fun at your last tournament,” Michel said Tuesday afternoon as he readied for that night’s graduation ceremony. “Being a senior, I went for everything.”
The best part might’ve been how he came back from a disappointing previous hole.
Michel had just finished off a triple bogey on No. 11, and admitted he was down on himself. He stepped to the next tee with his pitching wedge, and “I didn’t really care what happened. I chose the club I like to hit on that hole, and in the air I was thinking it was really good,” he said.
The ball touched down on the green and spun back into the hole.
Michel also played golf and soccer at Brownstown-Woodhaven. He’ll attend Grand Valley State University in the fall, study engineering, and will try to walk-on the Lakers’ golf team.
“Deep down inside,” he said he’s disappointed he won’t be playing at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West on Friday. But he’s got a quite a highlight to take with him from his final high school round.
“It was very bittersweet. I really wanted to go to state,” Michel said. “But the hole-in-one balanced it out a bit.”
Eye on the official
Hopefully you caught our MHSAA benchmarks piece (also published on Second Half) on longtime official Lamont Simpson, who has worked not only MHSAA Finals but NCAA tournaments and is one of 32 officials in the WNBA. (Here’s the link in case you missed it.)
He also became that league’s first to wear the referee cam, debuting the new gear during a recent game between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever.
The camera provides plenty of ref’s-eye views. Click the video below to check it out.
Wheels of Steele
We’ve been watching the inspiring progress of Frankenmuth runner Bobby Steele especially over the last few years as his story became known across the Lower Peninsula.
Steele, who is visually impaired, has run cross country and track for the Eagles, thanks to the help of guides who ran with him to help him stay on course.
If you haven’t heard Steele’s awesome story, check out this 8-minute video. Not only did Steele run, but he cut roughly 12 minutes off his first cross country times over the course of his career.
Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 4 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 16, 2026
Let the Party begin again.
Welcome back to Block Party, our weekly reports following our MHSAA-member teams as they navigate the regular season – with a hoped-for final destination of Finals weekend at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
Every week from here out we’ll look at matches from the previous week that caught our eye, a pair of teams in every playoff division making moves and upcoming matches or tournaments of particular interest.
Records below are those reported and tracked on this website, and rankings referred to below reflect the latest polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Utica Eisenhower d. South Lyon East (25-23, 22-25, 15-11) This win over Division 1 then-ranked No. 6 East was perhaps the most notable of No. 7 (now No. 6) Eisenhower’s 6-0 day to win its Program Cup, which also included victories over Dexter, Troy, South Lyon, Macomb Dakota and honorable mention Lowell.
2. Macomb Lutheran North d. North Branch (22-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-19, 15-12) Lutheran North jumped from honorable mention to No. 8 in Division 2 this week, with this comeback win over the previously-No. 5 Broncos sure to have made an impact.
3. Farmington Hills Mercy d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (25-21, 27-25, 25-21) This was the second time in two weeks the top-ranked Marlins faced No. 2 Marian, and the second time they won although this time in a sweep.
4. Elk Rapids d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (27-25, 25-18) The Division 3 No. 5 Elks finished 3-0 at their invitational, with this sweep of the Division 4 No. 5 Irish likely a reason they moved up a spot in their ranking.
5. Ishpeming d. Negaunee (25-16, 19-25, 25-18, 8-25, 15-12) These rivals went to five sets for the second-straight season, but this time the Hematites bounced back from a rough fourth game to finish the victory.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Battle Creek Lakeview (14-3-2) Lakeview is an honorable mention in Division 1 this week after finishing 4-0-1 at its invitational, which included victories over Big Rapids, DeWitt, Division 4 top-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip and Battle Creek Harper Creek and a split with Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. The Spartans are perfect in September and building on a 9-0-1 streak since their most recent defeat, which came in three sets to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall on Aug. 29.
Byron Center (17-3-0) A perfect run at Caledonia’s Macayla Kohn Memorial Invitational on Saturday included victories over Division 1 honorable mention Mattawan, Cadillac, Portage Central, the Fighting Scots and Division 2 No. 6 Edwardsburg, with only one set lost on the day. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4 in Division 1, with wins over No. 10 Lowell and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian among additional headliners during the early going.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Christian (15-0-0) The Eagles are ranked No. 1 in Division 2 coming off last season’s run to the Semifinals, and pairs of wins over Utica Eisenhower, Lowell and singles over Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian are more than enough to back that up. The Eagles have lost only six sets all season while also facing Division 1 No. 8 Grand Haven and multiple honorable mention earners.
Parma Western (13-0-0) The Panthers have lost only two sets to open this season and Thursday swept Tecumseh, avenging a pair of losses from last fall including its season-ender in the Regional Final. Western also defeated Division 3 No. 6 Clinton and Ida at Tecumseh and sits No. 5 in Division 2 with a perfect run at the Chelsea Invitational last month and a victory over Division 4 No. 2 Adrian Lenawee Christian among highlights.
DIVISION 3
Clinton (14-5-1) The Redwolves have strung together a pair of outstanding seasons and tested themselves out of the gate this fall defeating Division 1 Midland Dow, Division 2 Petoskey and Division 3 No. 3 Roscommon but also falling to Division 2 No. 4 Kingsley and honorable mention Tecumseh, and the next weekend to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall with a tie against Battle Creek Lakeview. They’re keeping up that pace – falling to Tecumseh and Parma Western last week – and that level of competition no doubt will pay off as this season continues.
Roscommon (14-5-2) Coming off last year’s 45-3 run, stopped only by eventual champion Kingsley in the Regional Finals, Roscommon has loaded up the schedule again with four of these losses coming opening week at their own round robin where they defeated Petoskey but lost to Tecumseh, Midland Dow, Kingsley and Clinton. The Bucks are 13-1-2 since with the ties to Division 1 and 2 teams and the other loss also to Dow.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire (9-0-1) The Eagles have won three straight District titles and are nearly perfect through the first month of the regular season, with only a tie against Charlevoix during opening weekend – and Bellaire also defeated Charlevoix that weekend at the Pellston Tournament. The Eagles have lost only two sets all season, the other to Mancelona before coming back to win in three during the Battle of M-88.
Hancock (12-2-1) A 2-1 win over No. 4 Crystal Falls Forest Park on Saturday at The Rock at Gladstone certainly was the highlight of a 4-0-1 day that saw the tie come against the Division 2 host Braves. Forest Park and Hancock have met in Regionals both of the last two seasons, so keep in mind that potential rematch as the season progresses. Both Hancock losses came during opening weekend at the Kingsford Invite against the Division 2 Flivvers.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Traverse City St. Francis (14-6) at Elk Rapids (9-1-2) – This will be the first of two matches over the next two weeks between the Division 3 No. 5 Elks and honorable mention Gladiators, who also saw each other in last season’s District Final, won by St. Francis.
Saturday – Battle Creek All-City Tournament at Lakeview – Battle Creek Pennfield (7-3-1), St. Philip (11-4-2), Central (0-5), Harper Creek (12-7-1) and the Spartans (14-3-2) will compete in this annual event, with Lakeview the reigning champion.
Saturday – Lake Odessa Lakewood Tournament – A notable field includes Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (16-0) plus East Grand Rapids (5-3), Big Rapids (11-3-3), Caledonia (9-7), Delton Kellogg (10-1), Petoskey (3-10) and Cedar Springs (2-10-2).
Saturday – Byron Center Invitational – The Bulldogs welcome an impressive group including Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1-2), Mattawan (8-10), Edwardsburg (9-3), Fruitport (12-2-2), East Kentwood (1-14), Portage Central (14-4), Kalamazoo Central (11-8-2) and Wayland (4-11-2).
Saturday – Mount Pleasant Oiler Invitational – The Oilers (10-5) will welcome Freeland (8-7-2), Elk Rapids, Roscommon and Grand Ledge (10-2).
PHOTOS (Top) Bloomfield Hills Marian puts up a block during its match against Farmington Hills Mercy last week. (Middle) Bath’s Kyria Pairolero (10) elevates to get her hand on a ball against Portland St. Patrick. (Marian/Mercy photo by KMS Photography. Bath/St. Patrick photo by John Johnson.)